Midwest Living Review

Judi Ketteler

A mix of old and new, the rebuilt Washington Park is the urban green space Cincinnati has been waiting for.

The newly reimagined Washington Park is a welcome addition to Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine district, an architecturally rich neighborhood in the midst of a major renaissance. Park planners have paid careful homage to the park’s 150-year history, while simultaneously turning it into a new centerpiece for the revitalized area.

The 8-acre park feels spacious and welcoming with a performance stage and civic green that holds 10,000 people. There's a modern playground complete with climbing walls referencing Cincinnati architecture, a play castle, a boardwalk, a creek, a sandbox, a dog park, a water park with jet sprays that shoot from the ground and a 450-space parking garage.

The traditional focal point of the park, the bandstand gazebo has been restored and is now strung with festive lights. There are concerts in the evenings, events on the weekends and a constant flow of people from historic Music Hall (which sits adjacent to the park). All of these elements make Washington Park worth a trip from the suburbs or the central Fountain Square business district.